Holy guacamole, people. Since I missed last week's post (stupid stomach bug), we're gonna do a 2-for-1 monster mash-up. Here's my rating scale for these terrifying tales:
A Must See = ***
Bloody Fun = **
Only for Horror Fans = *
Let's stick this pig!
HELLRAISER (2022) - When I was a wee tike, the original movie scared the bejesus out of me thanks in large part to its hideous goopiness. This new version practices restraint when it comes to the gore but does not lack style, substance, or respect for the source materials. ***
HALLOWEEN ENDS - While this new trilogy has its critics, I love the ideas that fueled this troika of slashers. **
HARPOON - For so simple a premise, this flick squeezes out a ton of suspense from its actors and plot. **
THE TAKING OF DEBORAH LOGAN - Found footage flicks often steep themselves in so much inevitability that their plot feels obvious at best. That is not the case here. This movie managed to keep me guessing with every new twist and turn. ***
HELL HOUSE, LLC - Despite being trope heavy, this film successfully managed to creep me out. **
RESURRECTION - Wow! Rebecca Hall's performance is top notch. Plus kudos to her for keeping it real, even when this movie enters ridiculously bizarre territory. If you're going to see this, go in as cold as possible. ***
THE BRIDES OF DRACULA - I love these Hammer film, and this one was pretty good, but I was left wanting for Christoper Lee to step in and don the cape. *
FALLEN - Revisiting this Denzel thriller, arguably his only horror movie, made me yearn for the days when movies took time to develop characters and their relationships. **
ATTACK THE BLOCK - The first time I saw this, I walked away amused but not impressed. The second viewing showed me just how wrong I was. This is a great film with a solid theme and amazing performances. ***
THE PERFECTION - By now, we should all know to not trust Allison Williams, especially when she's starring in a smart, surprising thriller. ***
SLAUGHTERHOUSE RULEZ - A fun teen horror romp in a bucolic British boarding school. *
MAYHEM - If you've ever worked in an office, you know these feeling be real. ***
AVA'S POSSESSION - There is a tremendously cool idea at the center of this flick, *
SCANNERS - While it can't help but feel extremely dated, this film hits incredibly hard with its tremendous practical effects. **
That's a great batch of horror films but this week's winningest film is Attack the Block. For those keeping count, that's 33 horror films this past October. Will I do Noirvember for a palette cleanse? Who can say.
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